Verse
I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!
Matthew 25:40
Facts and Figures
I wanted to broach the subject of health care for foster children. So, all I know is what I experience here in LA, this may not apply to what's going on in your state. In LA, foster care children are put on Medi-cal which I believe they can stay on for the rest of their life. If you have other insurance you can have them on that as well (when you adopt) but they recommend you having them on both just in case one wont cover what the other will. For us personally since I really haven't had health insurance for a while I thought this was great. Who knew the head ache it would be.
Of course Medi-Cal is a government run program and because of that there can be some inefficiencies. One being that a foster child can have more then one Medi-Cal number given to them at birth and sometimes they don't work. In our case she had 2 numbers and one worked sometimes and the other worked sometime. Eventually we got it all straightened out but it took months and come to find out that she may not have been covered for some of that and the Dr. never told me that they payments weren't going through until way after the fact.
Being on Medi-Cal means you are subject to whatever Dr. there is that takes Medi-cal and there really aren't that many. Initially we went to one Dr. that was super close to us but being a new mom I didn't know anything about what to expect from my pediatrician. Every time I took her in he would glance over her, give her shots, and with a heavy accent say she's good, then sent us on our way. I had to practically bribe the nurse to tell me how much she weighed and how tall she was. I didn't know that they are suppose to do a growth chart and tell you what percentage they are at and do a full examination ect. Finally, this month I switched Dr.s which the search was impossible. I searched for hours on-line to try and find a Dr. who took Medi-Cal that was in our area. Finally I found one through the recommendation of another foster parent. Know that some of your best resources are other parents.
When we got to this pediatrician they checked everything, they told me her percentage and everything that I needed to know. There were a couple things that my last pediatrician had completely missed and could have made baby sick if they hadn't been caught. I do have to explain that I come from an alternative health background and naturally don't trust Dr.'s. When I found the new Dr. I was really relieved to finally talk to someone who spoke English. They were great for a while. Though I was still left in the dark about vaccination schedules, when normal well child exams should take place, and what is abnormal in weight and height. I got way more information out of these nurse practitioners then I did going to my initial Dr but still there was no education on how the normal first year goes (yeah for Google again).
I'm guessing for mothers who give birth their OB will tell them what they need to know as far as what is the normal check ups ect. for the first year but I skipped all that. When I would ask the nurses questions they looked at me like I was a moron. Truth is I've studied a lot when it comes to vaccination health especially. With a foster child you really don't have any leeway when it comes to vaccinations. I'm not going to stir up a bunch of debate about the topic but I do want to say get educated. Look at both sides and make a decision that fits your families needs. I will put some resources that I used when studying about it below that I found very helpful.
The bottom line is we want the best for our children. We want them to grow up healthy and strong and fight the least battles they have to with health. Our goal is the same and how we get there maybe different for everyone but hopefully we all get there. I just want to maintain the freedom to choose. It's important to me that I have freedom to make health decisions for my children without feeling shame, guilt, condemnation, or criticism. There seem to be many horror stories recently of parental rights being circumvented by governmental authorities forcing parents to make choices that aren't really choices.
With foster children there is no right of the foster parent to make those decisions until really the case turns towards adoption more permanently. It's sad really, because there are ways of healing children that really have nothing to do with the medical field. Some of these children enter the world already at a disadvantage health wise it would be nice to have the freedom to explore alternative plans for healing.
Back to our story, my daughter ended up have ear infections pretty regularly over the winter months. After 2 horrific round of antibiotics in 2 months they suggested a shot that carries 10 round of antibiotics being desperate to ease my child's pain I agreed (worst thing ever!) Poor baby suffered horrible side effects that lasted weeks after the ear infection. Really she had built and immunity to the anti-biotics and a month later got another ear infection. After all that hell my baby was still sick. No way on round 4 of anti-biotics her body couldn't take any more so I chose a different route and she got healed it just took a bit longer a little more work and some patience. Healing the physical, can take a while when you do it naturally but I think in this get quick society we need to take time to heal on somethings, it builds us. She has not been sick since.
What I believe or don't believe about health is relative to my experience in life. My opinions won't be yours and that's ok with me. For the children who need the best that we have we have to stand up and give it to them no matter what. I will continue to fight for what I believe is the best for my daughter and I hope that you're doing the same for your child. The great thing about this country is that we do have options available. We get to raise our children in a place where medical services are available. While obviously I'm opinionated about the quality of that care I am grateful that we have it. Maintaining our freedom to choose will forever mark us a great nation when we start dictating how people should choose we start loosing the very essence of what this country was founded on, freedom.
Websites:
http://www.drfeder.com/index.php?page=shop&action=viewProduct&itemID=120
http://vran.org/in-the-news/infant-monkeys-given-standard-doses-of-vaccines-develop-autism-symptoms/
http://momsagainstmercury.org/
These are just a few resources and there are many others but personal stories from families who have children who have suffered are the most powerful.
Thoughts and Journal Entries
August 2011
I was starting to get stressed about finances then out of the blue God provided again. His faithfulness is so unwavering. We got enough financial release for 2 months! It's such and amazing release! Baby has her first 2 teeth this month as well as sitting up and rolling over. Everything seems to be moving along in the case. It just feels like a lot of waiting. In the mean times I'm just enjoying being with her. It's fun to be there everyday for her without putting her in day care. I love being a mom and I can't imagine anything else now.
This month I was remembering some of the signs along the way. Where you know that you are going the way you are suppose to go. For example, the rocking chair that I got before Bella. I wanted a gliding rocking chair but I couldn't afford a new one so I looked on Craigeslist and found one. I called the lady and I went to pick it up (yes by my self) somehow I squeezed it into my car. As I was talking to the lady she asked me about life and adoption came up. She told me that her and her husband had just finished adopting a child from China. The child was too old for being rocked in it anymore so they were selling it. Isn't it incredible that that chair had rocked an orphan from China and now as I rock Bella in I think about how that chair has such a history.
I know it's a random gratefulness but a rocking chair with everything that I wanted and having a history through someone else's adoption story just feels like Jesus to me. It's great to rock her in it at night and rest in knowing that God is in control.
Along with getting financial breakthrough I got a job breakthrough. I'll be helping out another foster parent for a while. This month I also started painting again. I had laid painting down for a while in fact years but we started a creative Sunday thing at church so I thought I'd pick it up again. The problem is that this specific hobby costs money and I know that I have to trust that it will be there when I need it this also could be an avenue where God provides for us. Have to open every door to see which one has provision behind it.
We had another sibling visit this month and met a sister we hadn't before. When I think about the life of these children I want to buy a huge house and adopt them all. Some people might think that I'm crazy to think about that but really every single one of these children are precious and deserve a chance in life to succeed. I can remember the first time someone really believed in me that wasn't in my family it was such a great feeling to know that I really could dream and become something amazing. My heart breaks for these children because from one day to the next they don't know what's going to happen or even if they will see each other again. Their case is completely different then baby Bella's and so it's not as clear. I'm continually in awe of God how He brings people together how He turns situations into redemption. I'm resting in the knowledge that God is a good Father and when we choose to surrender to His love for us it opens the door for Him to do amazing things. Bring on the redemption of all things!
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| First iphone shot, she can see herself in the camera! |
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| Last Summer Beach Day |
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| Bed Hair |
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